Wheeled book carrier



June 21, 1955 K n 2,7,33o

r wHEELED BOOK CARRIER Filed a 20, 1955 l/ll//ll/llllllllllllll ttomegWHEELED BO Karl Edgar Frye, LincolnfNebr. i Application May 20, 1953,SerlalNo. 356329 2 Claims. (CL, 2so 47.z6

This invention relates to a device for transporting books havingparticular utlity in librares and other places where a great numberofbooks are daily trucked over short distances.

Manually operated book carts which are employed to haul medium and largesize books from one local point to another should have a structuredesigned to meet certain desirable objectives. In view of the relativelylarge cumulative weight of stacked books, the cart should be as light aspossible without sacrificing other de sirable features such as strengthand durability. The cart must be capable of securely retaining the booksin place during travel and yet permit their easy access and removal.This invention contemplates an improved book carrier which anticipatesthese desired features.

Generally the book carrier comprises a two wheel device which provides arearwardly inclined book; sup-` porting plate directly secured by abracket to the wheel axle having a foot projection secured to theunde'rside of its forward portion insuring that the books supportedthereon will not ptch forward when the carrier is in an uprightposition. The books are stacked on thisplate and are prevented fromfallingvthrough the device 'rearwardly by at least one and preferablytwo pairs of complementary side frame bars. The relative placement ofthese complementary bars with respect to each other is an importantfeature of the invention. Assurning: that the carrier is used totransport books of library edition size, as opposed to the pocket orbantam sizes, the distance separating the side frame bars of one pairis' made less than the short side of most of such editions intended tobe carried by the book cart. It is thus imp'ossible for the books tofall through the back of the cart.` The books are stacked cornerwise.The complementary bars can be spaced sufiiciently far apart that twosides of each book are supported to prevent the books from escaping v toeither side. Accordingly the stacked books are safely supported withoutthe need of an additional bar supported at the rear of the booksupporting plate which interferes with the stacking and removal of thebooks.

Since for large carriers these bars are the largest single V components,a significant saving in weight is effected.

As a further precaution against side movement a second pair ofcomplementary bars may be provided. These bars are spaced farther apartthan the first pair of bars and disposed forwardly thereof. The twopairs of bars thus provide a V-shape channel for the stack of books.

The means for supporting the book supporting member and side bars arespecially designed to lend strength to the carrier. These and otherfeatures of the invention will be apparent on reading the description inconnection with the drawngs in which:

Fig. 1 s an isometric of the book carrier;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of same;

Fig. 3 is a section in plan taken on line 3-7-3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line 4 -4 of Fig. l.

A book supporting member 5 is secured to sleeve 6 bym'r'ea'nsof a pairofside 'tub'lar brackets7 and 8. "The member zs is rectang'lar inshapezxand 'vis'disposed with .one corner -directedtowardthe sleeve :61Its 'interier portion' is partially-open to elminate unnecessaryzweightsupport. The members s rearwardlyinclined and has e secured to theundersde of its forward portion a foot projection 11.- i u t V Attachedto the two sides of the book supporting member 5 nearest, the sleeve 6is a pair of complementary side frame bars 12 and 13 extendng verticallywith=respect to the member 5., These bars are spaced sutficiently close'together that books of ordinary libraryredtion size cannot 'passbetween them regardless of their disposition( For example, if the barswere spaced no greater than *five inches apart, very? few bookscommonlyseen ;on

library shelves would be capable of falling through the i back of thecarrier. The placement ofthe bars is such that they serve to prevent thebooks fromescaping from the carrier either to the side or to the rear.As shown ,a

second pair of complementary side frame bars Hand 15are disposed inparallel 'to the first pair being supported by the book supportingmember 5 'at its intermediate corners. The-two pairs of side framebars'accordingly form a V-shaped trough which has no need for any typeof'weight contributing closure at itsapex. i t

The side frame bars are connected by two spanning 'elements 16 and `17at the top of the device. A handle 18 is' joined at the juncture of thespanning elements.

supporting bars 19 'and 20 connect the side frame bars" on each side ofthe carrier.

Because the book supporting member 5 and the 'side frame bars bear thedirect burden of the book load, separate means are provided tosupportthem. Whilethe brackets 7 and 8 support the member 5 with respect to thesleeve 6, `the ,side bars are independently secured threto by braces 21and 22. r Each supporting means therefore strengthensthe carrierwithout'dependng on each other toaccomplish'their special function.

An axle 23 extends through the sleeve 6. The ends of the axle project'through the sleeveand wheels 24 and 25 and are mounted for rotationthereon.

It is obvious that alterations may be etfected in the structural design'of the above described book carrier within the scope'and principle ofthe invention by one `skilled in the particular art.

It is understood that the invention is to be defined and limited only inaccordance with the apperded claims.

, What is claimed is:

l. A hand truck for .books or the like -comprising a substantiallysquare platform, a pair of upright parallel bars attached to the top of'the platform at opposite corners thereof, a second pair of parallelbars disposed in a plane parallel to that of the first pair and attachedto the top of the platform at the marginal portions thereof at the rearof and extending parallelto the first pair, whereby the two pairs ofbars define a rectangular V-shape rack 'coincident'wth the rear half ofthe platform,`rearwardly exte'nding brackets secured to the platform, awheel axle carried by the brackets,`a foot carried by and dependingfrom'the front corner of the platform of a length to maintain the truckin rearwardly tilted position, and two members disposed in a V andjoining margnal supporting surface and a fiat piece extending.

diagonally across the square in the plane of said surface and secured tothe opposite corners of the platform mem bers, a pair of parallelupwardly extending bars attached at their lower' ends to the saidopposite corners of" the a eot ciepe ding frorri the front corner of thepltform bars .dispnsed .in a .plane .parallel/to `the ?first pair. and

attached at their lower ends to the platform supporting surface at therear of the first pair and extendng Upward paralle'l to the first pair,the :diameter of' the rods bei'ng less than` the width .of thesupporting faces of 'the angle members, whereby the two ;ars of bars'dene a rectangular V-shape rack open at the apex, rearwardly extendingbrackets Secured to the said opposite cerners of tii e platform, a wheelaxle carried by the `brackets, and 10 Attached :@the .under faee of theangle members and of a length to maintain the truck in rearwardly tiltedposition.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,722,193 Brandon July 23, 1929 2,368,752 Ds Feb. 6, 1945

